Irradiating mechanical refrigerator



lillllllllllllilliill S. C. WHITMAN IRRADIATING MECHANICAL -MzFRC-IEIMTOR Original Filed, Oct. 22, 1952 Jan. 19, 1937.

Patented Jan. 19, 19.37

PATENT OFFICE aosazie IBRADIATNG MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR Stewart C. Whitman, New York, N. Y.

Application october zz, 1932, semi No.' 639.142

Renewed June 15, 1936 s claims. w1. 9er-2 4?) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in the art of mechanical refrigeration and more particularly to a therapeutic lamp to" produce these results.

An object of this invention is to produce a lamp adaptedto be mounted in a refrigerator to provide a continuously operated ultra-violet light source of beneficial wavelengths.

Another object of this invention is to produce a convenient source of illumination for refrigerator interior.

A further object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator lamp of low heat dissipation.

Still another object of the invention is to proi5 vide a therapeutic lamp for refrigerators of a design which will irradiate the complete interior without sacrice of storage space.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

In the drawing forming a part of this application:

Figure 1 is a front view of my invention, partly in elevation and partly in section, showing it on an enlarged scale in relation to associated appavratus.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the device with parts broken away, and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the device taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, showing its position mounted with respect to adjacent apparatus.

The above elements and their various arrangements will be more particularly described in the disclosure which follows.

A source of ultra-violet light in a refrigerator l possesses several meritorious features if properly designed. The interior of the storage chamber can be adequately illuminated, surface infection of foods can be arrested, odors eliminated, vitamin D produced in the irradiated food stuis, and a generally wholesome and sanitary condition maintained. v

'I'he most important requirement in a lamp of this Atype is the frequency of the emitted light. 'I'he lamp must not emit ultra-violet light of shorter wavelength than 2800 Angstrom units. If light of a higher frequency is radiated ozone is generated and the disagreeable odor is absorbed by the food stuis affecting their flavor. Further, high frequency ultra-violet light has a destructive effect on organic substances and would result in rapid food spoilage.

AAnother important requirement is an economic one. The. heat energy radiated from the light source must be extremely small, since the storage 5 chamber is well insulated and any appreciable heat generated would seriously affect the refrigual light source running the entire height of the chamber.

'I'he present invention provides a lamp which satisfactorily meets all these conditions. 15

Referring to the drawing Figure l illustrates a refrigerator I containing the storage space 2, provided with shelves 3 and. 4, and the refrigeratlng unit chamber 5. A compressor 6 is shown. 'Ihe driving motor is not shown but the power 20 line is designated b'y the numeral 'I and a main switch by ii.' The lamp is shown at I0. It is oi the high voltage gas discharge type, containing a mixture of mercury vapor and a rare gas, as for example, argon at low pressure of the order 25 of 1 mm. of mercury. The tube Ias shown in the drawing has been enlarged with respect to the storage chamber for the sake of clarity. Actually, the tubing is of the order of 5A; inchin diameter and the two legs are spaced from each other 30 about 1/2 inch. The electrodes II and I2 are constructed in any known manner.

In a gas discharge tube of this type most of the voltage drop across the tube takes place immediately adjacent to the electrodes and conse- 35 quently most of the heat is dissipated at those points. For this reason the tube is mounted so that the portions ,carrying the electrodes project through the wall of the storage chamber 2 into the lower chamber 5, as shown at I3 and I4. The 40 vtube is supported on its upper end by the clamp I5 and is protected from breakage bythescreen I Iir As shown, the tube is mounted vertically transversely of the shelves in spaced relation thereto'. The position of the tube and protecting screen is 45 clearly shown in Figure 3. The transformer II supplies the current to the tube through the con- 1 nections I8 and I9. The transformer is supplied from the main line 'I through the wires 2li and 2 I, which are permanently connected to the main 50 refrigerator line whereby the lamp is continuously lighted as long as the refrigerator is connected for operation. I have disclosed an electrically operated refrigerator. It will be understood thatv Where the device is used with other types of me- 55 chanical refrigerators a source of current must be supplied. 'Ihe transformer is of the constant current high reactance type commonly used for gas discharge tube. I have found a current of .010 5 amperes to be sufficient for a tube of this type. For a tube 6 feet long a transformer consuming 20 watts is sucient. Of these 20 Watts less than one Watt is dissipated as heat in the interior of the storage chamber. The rest is dissipated in 10 the lower chamber where it has no efiect. 'I'he glass used for the tube is compounded so as to entirely screen all light of Wavelength shorter than 2800 Angstrom units.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In a mechanical refrigerator including a storage chamber, an elongated gas discharge tube formed of glass containing mercury vapor, said tube being composed of glass Which will transmit substantially no radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being arranged vertically of said chamber and extending substantially the full length thereof, the electrode portions of said tube being disposed outside of said storage chamber, and means outside of said chamber for activating said tube.

2. In an irradiating mechanical refrigerator, a heat-insulated storage chamber, a Working chamber, means in said storage chamber for carrying material to be refrigerated and irradiated, a mechanical refrigerating system contained in said .storage chamber and said working chamber, a gas discharge tube generating ultra-violet radiation having a long central portion inside said storage chamber extending adjacent said means and also having a plurality of terminal portions each provided with actuating electrodes, said tube being provided with means for suppressing substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being mounted so that said central portion s inside said storage chamber and said terminal portions are outside said storage chamber, mechanical protective means within said storage chamber adjacent said tube for protecting said portion of said tube in said chamber from breakage, and means for applying actuating potential to the electrodes of said terminal portions.

3. In an irradiating mechanical refrigerator, a heat-insulated storage chamber, a Working chamber, a plurality of substantially horizontal stationary treating shelves in said storage chamber for carrying material to be refrigerated and irradiated, a mechanical refrigerating system con- 55 -tained in said storage chamber and said Working chamber, a stationary gas discharge tube generating ultra-violet radiation having a long central portion inside said storage chamber extending substantially vertically transversely of said shelves in spaced relation thereto and also having a plurality of terminal portions each provided Ywith actuating electrodes, said tube being provided with means for suppressing substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being` mounted so that said central portion is inside said storage chamber and said terminal portions are outside said storage chamber, and means for applying actuating potential to the electrodes of said terminal portions.

4. In an irradiating mechanical refrigerator, a heat-insulated storage chamber, a working chamber, a heat-insulating partition separating said storage chamber from said working chamber, a plurality of substantially horizontal shelves in said storage chamber for carrying material to be refrigerated and irradiated, a mechanical refrigerating system contained in said storage chamber and said working chamber, a gas discharge tube of U-shape generating ultra-violet radiation having a long central portion and a plurality of terminal portions each provided with actuating electrodes, said tube being provided with means for suppressing substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, both legs of said tube being mounted to project through said partition between said storage chamber, and said working chamber, said long central portion of said U-shaped tube being mounted. inside said storage chamber extending substantially vertically transversely of said shelves, and said terminal portions being mounted in said working chamber,

vand means in said Working chamber for applyleach provided with actuating electrodes, said tube being provided with means for suppressing substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being mounted so that said central portion is inside said storage chamber and said termina1 portions are outside said storage chamber and means for applying actuating potentialto the electrodes of said terminal portions.

6. In an irradiating mechanical refrigerator, a heat-insulated storage chamber, a working v-cham1oer, a plurality of substantially horizontal "stationary treating shelves in said storage chamber for carrying material to be refrigerated and irradiated, a mechanical refrigerating system contained in said storage chamber and said Working chamber, a stationary gas discharge tube generating ultra-violetradiation having a long A central portion inside said storage chamber extending substantially vertically transversely of said shelves and also having a plurality of terminal electrode portions each provided with actuating electrodes, said tube being provided with means for suppressing substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being mounted so that said central portion is inside said storage chamber and said terminal electrode portions are outside said storage chamber, and means for applying actuating potential to the electrodes of said terminal portions.

7. In an irradiating mechanical refrigerator, a heat-insulated storage chamber, a working chamber, means in said storage chamber ,for carry-ing material to be refrigerated and irradiated, a mechanical refrigerating system contained in said storage chamber and said working chamber, a gas discharge tube generating ultra-violet radi'- ation having a long central portion, inside said storage chamber extending adjacent said means and also having a plurality4 of terminal portions each provided with actuating electrodes, said tube being formed of `glass which Will obstruct substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being m'ounted so that said central portion is inside said storage chamber and said terminal portions/are outside said storage chamber, and means for applying actuating potential to the electrodes of said terminal portions.

8. In an irradiating mechanical refrigerator, a heat-insulated storage chamber, a working ch'amber, a plurality of substantially horizontal stationary treating shelves in said storage chamber for carrying material to be refrigerated and irradiated, a mechanical refrigerating system contained in said storage chamber and said working chamber, a stationary gas discharge tube generating ultra-violet radiation having a long centrai portion inside said storage chamber extending substantially vertically transversely of said shelves and also having a plurality vof terminal portions each provided with actuating electrodes,

said tube beingI formed of glass which will obstruct substantially all radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being mounted so that said central portion is inside said storage chamber `and said terminal portions are outside said storage chamber, and means for applying actuating potential to the electrodes of said terminal portions. f

9. In a refrigerator including a chamber, an elongated gas discharge tube formed of glass which will transmit substantially no radiation shorter than 2800 Angstrom units, said tube being arranged vertically of said chamber and ex- 4tending substantially the full length thereof, the

electrode portions of said tube being disposed outside of said chamber, and means outside of said chamber for activating said tube.

STEWART C. WHITMAN. 

